Can opener



M. DQ'PRIGE. CAN OPENER; APPLlCATlON FILED MA Y'10 1921.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922;

2 $HEETS-SHEET .1-

M. D. PRICE.

CAN OPENER. APPLICATION FlLED MAY 10 I921.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- gwwmto'o Ml'lEHaLLU'F ivr-rmonnm n. r-nron,

OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

CAN OPENER.

To allwfiom z't' mayconcerns we Beit -known that I, :MIToImLL D. Pinon, a citizen of the United States, and awesident of Miami, in the county of Dade and Stateof FlOr-ida,ahave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can "Openers, ofwhich thefollowing -is a specification.

My invention relatesto -can openers and particularly to a device offlthis type which will be made strong and durable, coupled with simplicity of-structure and operation;

The further-object of -my inventionis-to provide a can opener which can be used equally as advantageously for the opening of e'ither'roundor square-cans. Furthermore, the improved feature of this, invention is the provision:of-astructure wherein the blades are made renewable thereby providing for the I removal of a worn or broken blade.

A still further object o'f my-inventionis to provide a can opener which will be adjustable whereby the' device "may be-used with equal advantage"upon cans of various sizes.

The various features of my invention and the manner in which the same is used will be made more apparent in the accompanying specification rand drawings in which Fig. 1 is'a perspective view'of a can opener constnucted in accordance-with-my invention; as it is used when removing-the tops of round cans, Y 1

Fig. 2 is :a similar view showing thedevice as it is used-when removing-thetops otsquare cans, I

:Fig. 3 is a disassembledsperspective view of a portion of v the structure i lustrated in Fig. v1, 7 a

Fig. 4' is=a=side elevation ofithe device with a-slightly modifiedform of adjusting means,

Fig.6 isian'enlar' ed detailed section of the adjusting means shown mil a e,

.Fig; 61 isva "fragmentary elevationshowlng still another modified form of adjusting means,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryview of oneportion of the "device showing a modified manner of securingthe: blades thereto, "and Fig. 8 is-a similar View of a'nother modification. 1 j v 1 "Referring now more particularly to Figs,

Specification of letters Patent. -Application filed May 10,

buckle 25 cooperates Patented Ma1m28; 1922. 1921. Serial No.4685259.

l to 3, it would seem that the device coniprises a grip or handle portion 10 provided with bowed flexible sides ll'which are preferably thin to -ena'ble' 'them to be suitably flexedwhile adjusting the device, butof a sufficient transverse 'width to provide sufficient rigidity during the cutting operation.

Theflexible sides 11 terminate iii-enlarged treeen'ds '12. These ends are slotted as shown at 13 (see particularlyFig. 3) thereby forming a forked or bifurcated end into which is adapted to'be inserted eitherthe knife 14 or the point 15. -In any event the knife or point is "provided with a iia-ttenml head 16 iapertu'red as at'lTto register with two oppositely disposed apertures 18formed at each bifurcated end oft-he device. A bolt 19'and -nut 20 cooperate tosecure either the knife or point in position.

Inorder to adjust the distance between the points 15-and the cutting knife 14, I pro vide "in thestructure illustrated in Figspl and 2, a bolt '2lvprovided with a thumb wheel 22. Thebolt :21 is provided with oppositely disposed*screwihreads which "engage threaded apertures in the enla'rged'ends 12 of the b0 dy (of-the device. It consequently follows that by suitably adjustingthe bolt 21 by means of the thumb wheel 22 the distance between the point15 and the cutting knifelt may be regulated, thereby enabling the device to'be used upon cans of varied sizes.

Formed preferably integrally with the bodyof the device andin alignment with the grip lOthere .is.:a cuttingblade '23 and an abutment 24. The end of 'thenbutment 24-,l-ies in substantial ahgnmentwith the portion oft theibowed side which is comparatively thick and which is disposed immediatelyadjacent thegrip 10. Theblade 23 is e1nployed-= in cutting the tops from square or oblong-canssuch as illustrated in Fig. '2

and this niannerof operation will be more 7 fully hereinafter described.

In Figs. 4 and '5, I have illustrated a slightly modified fOIlIl of the means for adj'ustingthe distance between theoperative ends of the device. In this form a turnwith 1 a pair of bolts 26, the endsof which arefastencd to the enlargements 12 of the body of the device; The

7 threads of opposite form of adjusting scribed hereinbefore, I

secured in the manner illustrated lIlyFlg.

, with of bolts 26 are provided with screwpitch which cooperate with the turnbuckle so that upon suitable rotation of the turnbuckle 25 the distance between the point 15 and the cutter 14 will be adjusted.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated still another means. In this form a bolt 27 is secured against rotation by a head 28 in one of the enlargements 12 of the body of the device. The other end expair tends through an openingz28 in the other,

enlargement 12. The bolt is screw-threaded to receive a thumb. nut 29 the distance between thegpoint 15 and the knife 14 may be likewise adjusted.

Insteadof securing theblade and point to the body of the device in the-manner deeither or both may be 7. In this figure the point 15 is shown as provided with a screw-threaded shank 30 which engages a correspondingly screwthreaded socket 31 formed in the enlarged portion 12 of the body of the device. Hence, a rigid connection between either the knife or the point and the enlargements 12 of the body ofthe device may be provided and the point or knife be made likewise removable.

"In Fig. 8 I haveillustrated still another modification wherein the point 15 is shown as formed integrally with the enlargement 12 of the body ofrthe device. It is obvious that, should it be desired, either or both the point and knife may be formed: integrally the body of the device thereby eliminating some extra parts in the manufacture of the same. It is obvious thatin many instances it will be unnecessary to form the point 15' separately. from the body of the device, inasmuch as it isdesirable' mainly, to replace the knife 14L upon which most of the wear occurs.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the manner-of operating the device will bebriefly described:

. In this figure a can C of usual form is shown. The distance, between the center of the call. and the circumferential path upon which itis desired to make the cut is gauged and the end of the device'adjusted accord is used while IGIIIOVHL ingly 'by-suitably rotating the thumb wheel 22. The device is then grasped by thegrip 1.0 and the point. v15 forced into. the center of the can. ,At the same time, the knife 14 is forced through the top of the can. By suitably rotating thedevice about the point 15 as a pivot, the top of the can may be cutout.

In Fig. 2the manner in which the device the top of ,a square or oblong caniD is illustrated During this:operatiomthe device is turned on its i side. andthe blade 23 pushed into the top cit-the can untiltho abutment 24: contacts comprising 2.

top of the can, when the device is move forward and the operation repeated. It consequently follows that, after. several re: peated operations,.the top of the can will be cutout.

The construction of the device is. such that it may be cheaply manufactured, coupled with durability of service.

The operation of the device is exceedingly simple, at the same timeretain'ing effectiveness. The life of. a device constructed in accordance. with my invention is ma-nifoldly. greater by reason of the cutting blades being renewable as. may also be the points. i

The structure and operation of my device having been described, what I, elaimis:

1. A can opener of the comprising a, rigid handle, flexible side members depending from said handle and provided with a point and cutter blade respectively and means for flexing said side members toadjust the distance between said point and cutter blade. r

2. A can iopener of the class described comprising a handle, ,a pair of. flexible side members secured blade secured to said, side members'a'nd means for adjustingthe distance between the same.

3. 'A; can opener of the class described side members, a cutting blade and point secured to said side members and means conuecting the ends of said side members whereby the distance-between the -same may be adjusted. 1

4. A can opener ble side members formedwith said handle class described L i thereto, a point. and 5 rigid handle, two flexible v of the class described comprising'a rigid handle, two. bowed flex1-f'115 point secured to said free ends :and means 1,;

connectingsaid free ends,whereby the distance between said point and cutting. blade may be adjusted. i,

5. A can opener of the class described embodying a rigid handle and a pair-of side members, an abutment secured to said handle, the end of said abutment being in.

substantial alignment with one of said side members and a cutting blade rigidly secured to said abutment and in longitudinal 1.

alignment with said handle 'Wherebysaid abiiitment and said members will simultaneously engage the top of a can substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A can opener of the class described comprising a rigid handle a pair of 5 bowed flexible side members formed therewith, said side members terminating in enlarged ends, means for removably securing MITCHELL D. PRICE. 

